The ‘60s start with 700 and grow
By: Sturgis Rally Daily
June, 12 2007
Little information is available regarding the 1960 Black Hills Motor Classic. It was learned, however, that the crowd grew to 700 cyclists. More than 800 were fed at the city park.
The 1961 rally was one to remember for Ron Boyarski of San Jose, Calif. His time of 27.11 seconds was a new Sturgis track record, and he also won athe five-mile race. More than 700 people were fed at the 1961 event; rain moved this indoors. Cyclists passed the hat and came up with $150 for a fellow biker injured before the Saturday races.
For 1962, the two-day racing purse was increased to $2,700. Neil Keen won the five-mile expert race. Other champions were Pat Barnhill (five-mile amateur) and Dwight Radcliff (five-mile novice).
The usual events were on tap for the 1963 classic, with one exception: the classic was stretched to four days. Jack Hoel won three of four races and placed second in the Sportsman Class. Hoel addressed a meeting of the Sturgis Chamber of Commerce. The four-state representative for Yamaha said, "Everywhere I go, I run across motorcyclists who have been to Sturgis. They are very impressed with the treatment they received while they were here, and this word-of-mouth publicity has spread."
Babe DeMay picked up $270 for winning the 1964 Expert final. Don Rice finished first in the Sportsman final. Free motorcycle parking was available downtown as a goodwill gesture.
Hoel received a plaque in 1965 for his dedication to the Black Hills Motor Classic.
Riders from 23 states and four Canadian provinces came into town for the 1966 classic. A Sturgis Tribune writer observed, "Motorcycling has become a big thing in Sturgis; most cyclists attending the rally continue to come back again and again." Bikers were charged $1 to camp at the city park. This fee was increased for riders who arrived earlier in the week. The Old First National Bank on Main Street served as classic headquarters. Local motels were booked a week before the 1966 classic started. Registration was moved to the city auditorium, with 492 signing up.
By 1967, it was estimated the classic put $150,000 into the local economy. One cyclist said he spent $38 per day. Hoel said the hillclimb and scrambles would be held on newly acquired land south of the Jackpine Gypsies' clubhouse. He estimated the crowd at 1,500 cyclists.
Keen rallied to defeat Pat Gosch in winning the 1968 races. None of the hillclimbers scaled the hill because of the wet ground. Mayor Francis Langin said the city would construct a park north of Lazelle Street for the 1969 classic.
Come 1969, the total prize money came to $3,600; racing took place in three locations. The classic supported Rapid City with their races, in hopes the money offered in Sturgis — plus the $1,800 for the Rapid City race — would lure more racers and spectators to each. More than 2,000 converged on city park for the picnic and awards ceremony. The Sturgis Chamber of Commerce ran out of food. Margaret Nichols of Grand Blanc, Mich., was crowned queen. Sioux Falls, racer Jerry Cheney won the Sportsmen short track championship in 1969.